Wailele 2016

If you are bored, just blog to everyone what you are doing. I will keep you posted on my summer. Don’t miss me too much. See you all soon!!!

The year is almost finished and you will soon be “big” 6th graders! The sad thing is that you will never be a 5th grader ever again in your life!

How has your paradigm shifted from the beginning of the year to now? Give specific examples.

What do you consider the highlights of this year?

If you look back at 5th grade one day, what would like to remember?

WAILELE
Kapalama Campus Fifth Grade

Aloha and Welcome to our Blog!
I know that good communication between school and home is vital to the success of each student so, please feel free to e-mail me with your questions, comments, or concerns by clicking on the convenient “comments” link right underneath this message.

The students enjoy being haumana here at Kamehameha and as we learn and grow together we know we will be able to…

“Ho`olale i ka`ai a ka u`i!”
Show what youth can do!

Imua e na pua a Pauahi!

Mahalo nui for visiting,

Andrew Chung

Would you have hidden a Jewish child if you lived during WWII?

What is the responsibility of an individual when they see an injustice?

Is the Holocaust still important today?  Why or why not?

Tell me about what you learned from Ms. Cooke.

How did playing football help the students over come their prejudices about each other?

How did the football team at T.C. Williams help the adults in the community overcome their prejudices?

What would it be like living in a community that is racially divided?

Our play is coming up! What do you think about the 5th grade play?

A Coke bottle dropped from an airplane disrupts the quiet life of a family of African Bushmen (the San people) living in the deep isolation of the Kalahari desert. Xi, the head of the family, takes the evil thing and embarks on a journey to the end of the world to return it to the gods. At the same time, a white teacher is fed up with city life and takes a job in Botswana. She meets a shy and bumbling scientist. Their hilarious adventures and misadventures are intertwined with Xi’s journey. In the meantime, we learn much about Africa and are treated to beautiful photography of its landscape, its skies and its animals.

What is the coke bottle that should be thrown off the edge of the world represent in your life, your family’s life, and your culture? That is, what thing has come in from the outside and has disrupted the good order of things? How did it come into your life? What has it done to disrupt things? How will you get rid of it (throw it off the edge of the world)?

Is this swine flu virus contagious?
CDC has determined that this swine influenza A (H1N1) virus is contagious and is spreading from human to human. However, at this time, it not known how easily the virus spreads between people.

What are the signs and symptoms of swine flu in people?
The symptoms of swine flu in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting associated with swine flu. In the past, severe illness (pneumonia and respiratory failure) and deaths have been reported with swine flu infection in people. Like seasonal flu, swine flu may cause a worsening of underlying chronic medical conditions.

How does swine flu spread?
Spread of this swine influenza A (H1N1) virus is thought to be happening in the same way that seasonal flu spreads. Flu viruses are spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing of people with influenza. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.

How long can an infected person spread swine flu to others?
People with swine influenza virus infection should be considered potentially contagious as long as they are symptomatic and possible for up to 7 days following illness onset. Children, especially younger children, might potentially be contagious for longer periods.

What surfaces are most likely to be sources of contamination?
Germs can be spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth. Droplets from a cough or sneeze of an infected person move through the air. Germs can be spread when a person touches respiratory droplets from another person on a surface like a desk and then touches their own eyes, mouth or nose before washing their hands.

How long can viruses live outside the body?
We know that some viruses and bacteria can live 2 hours or longer on surfaces like cafeteria tables, doorknobs, and desks. Frequent handwashing will help you reduce the chance of getting contamination from these common surfaces.

What can the community do as a whole to prevent an outbreak?

What can you do personally to protect yourself from getting sick?

Piracy off the Somali coast has been a threat to international shipping since the beginning of Somalia’s civil war in the early 1990s. Since 2005, many international organizations have expressed concern over the rise in acts of piracy. Piracy has contributed to an increase in shipping costs and impeded the deliver of food aid shipments. According to the Kenyan foreign minister, Somali pirates have received over US$150 million during the 12 months prior to November 2008. This problem seems to be getting worse.

What do you think a solution to this growing international could be?

Hawaii is one of just two states in the nation that has no form of legalized gambling — no state lotteries, no casinos, no horse races, and no sports betting. The other state without any form of legal gaming is Utah.

The Governor of Hawai‘i is considering bringing gambling to the state, one of only two in the US that doesn’t allow legalized gambling–no state lotteries, no casinos, no horse races, and no sports betting. The other state without any form of legal gaming is Utah. Linda Lingle was quoted by the Associated Press as saying nothing should be excluded from discussion of how to address the state’s budget problems. State politicians have said legalized gambling might be explored before considering tax raises.

What do you think of this solution to the state’s money problems?

Hawaii’s lieutenant governor and some in the state’s tourism industry aren’t laughing over a “Saturday Night Live” skit they fear could deter people from visiting the islands.

The four-minute skit, an exaggerated portrayal of how annoying and frustrating it can be to deal with tourists, depicts a pair of disgruntled locals who sing and dance for mainland visitors.

What do you think?

Write two things that you learned from Dr. Blaisdell and why?

Why is important to know your own history?

Write two things that were interesting that you learned today and why? Be specific.

Why is it important that we go to field trips such as this one?

Last week, our KES Ohana went to chapel. Kahu Kordell made some comments that confused many of our students. Paraphrasing what he said, he told us if anyone tells you that the missionaries were not good, don’t believe them. He also talked about our loving God and that the Hawaiian gods were not loving.

What did you personally feel about the comments?

Tell the class 2 things you learned today and why they are important or interesting to you?

How was the life of a 10-year-old in 1793 different from the life of a 10-year-old today? In which period would you rather live? Why?

What are the greatest advancements American society has made since then? How have we regressed?

Mattie’s grandfather didn’t think there was any need to rush out of Philadelphia when the fever started to spread. Why did some people think it was safe to stay? What would you have done?

When does Mattie move from being a child to being a young adult?

The Free African Society volunteered to take care of the sick and bury the dead, even though there was no cure for yellow fever. How do you think they felt? Why did they do that? Would you have helped?

How do you feel after hearing Attila’s presentation (anything you find interesting, unusual, or inspiring? Did you make any connections? Did you wonder about anything that he said?

How did this presentation “change” you?

How could this presentation affect your future?

How would you rate yourself on the job you have done so far and why.
How is  your financial situation?  Are you happy with it?  Why or why not?

What are your goals in the Wailele Economic System for the rest of the year?

The American Civil Rights Movement (1955-1968) refers to the reform movements in the United States aimed at abolishing racial discrimination of African Americans.

Martin Luther King and Malcolm X were black men who had a dream, but never lived to see it fulfilled. One was a man who spoke out to all humanity, but the world was not yet ready for his peaceful words. “I have a dream, a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed… that all men are created equal.” (Martin Luther King) The other, a man who spoke of a violent revolution, which would bring about radical change for the black race. “Anything you can think of that you want to change right now, the only way you can do it is with a ballot or a bullet. And if you’re not ready to get involved with either one of those, you are satisfied with the status quo. That means we’ll have to change you.” (Malcom X) While Martin Luther King promoted non-violence, civil rights, and the end to racial segregation, a man of the name of Malcom X dreamed of a separate nation.

Do you feel breaking the law is justifiable in some cases?

What type of laws do you feel justifiable to break? Give examples of past laws?

How would you break the law if you felt there was a need for change? Do you agree with how Martin Luther King wanted change or Malcolm X?

You got your green eyes from your mother, and your freckles from your father. But where did you get your thrill-seeking personality and talent for singing? Did you learn these from your parents or was it predetermined by your genes? While it’s clear that physical characteristics are hereditary, the genetic waters get a bit more murky when it comes to an individual’s behavior, intelligence, and personality. Ultimately, the old argument of nature vs. nurture has never really been won. We do not yet know how much of what we are is determined by our DNA and how much by our life experience. But we do know that both play a part.

Which do you think is more influential in how a person is?

Which is more important, good genes or good upbringing?

An ecosystem is made up of plants, animals and other forms of life as well as the environment in which they live. Ecosystems are self-sustaining, which means everything that each living member of the ecosystem needs can be found within the ecosystem and that all of the functions of the ecosystem are continuous.

Ecosystems rely on natural balance. A wetland ecosystem is not only made up of the living creatures in the ecosystem, but it also includes the water and the chemicals in the water (for example: whether the water is fresh, salty or brackish), the soil and the air. All of these factors are necessary for maintaining the health of the ecosystem. If the water is drained from an area, the removal of that important component of the ecosystem will have an effect on everything else in that environment. Likewise, if something is introduced, like pollutants or excess salt water it will also become a problem for the ecosystem.

How can change in one part of an ecosystem affect change in other parts of an ecosystem? Give an example.

What impact do humans have on the ecosystem? How do humans have an impact on the diversity and stability of ecosystems?

How can you personally help to preserve Hawaiian stream life?

Give examples of paradigms that people had that we don’t believe in anymore.

In your own words, why is learning about paradigms important?

Why is learning about paradigms important in learning about Pu‘uloa and Pearl Harbor?

TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design. It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from those three worlds. Since then its scope has become ever broader.

The annual conference now brings together the world’s most fascinating thinkers and doers, who are challenged to give the talk of their lives (in 18 minutes).

Mission of TED: Spreading ideas.
We believe passionately in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and ultimately, the world. So we’re building here a clearinghouse that offers free knowledge and inspiration from the world’s most inspired thinkers, and also a community of curious souls to engage with ideas and each other.

Today, TED is therefore best thought of as a global community. It’s a community welcoming people from every discipline and culture who have just two things in common: they seek a deeper understanding of the world, and they hope to turn that understanding into a better future for us all.

*Summarize the video that you watch.

(Remember, the reader has no background knowledge of the video)

*What is message is the speaker trying to get across?

*Give your opinion of the video.

(Make connections with prior knowledge, your life, other

subjects, etc.)

*Would you recommend this video to your class?

In the most recent Time magazine, there is a big section on top ten lists of 2008 from favorite tv series to remarkable discoveries. In fact, we see lists everywhere these days, and there’s no denying the fact that we all love them. Everybody from Moses (a la Ten Commandments) to MTV (Top 10 countdowns) do lists. People just love them.

Find a top ten list and share it with the class. Write the reason you picked this list.

Do you agree or disagree with the list?

Why do people love lists?

New research by the American Association of University Women Educational Foundation shows that just one year out of college, women working full-time earn only 80 percent of their male colleagues’ salaries, even when they work in the same field. Ten years after graduation, the pay gap widens, with women earning 69 percent of what men earn.

Why do you think this is so?

Do you think this is fair?  Why or why not?

What would you do to change this situation?

Class, please teach Ms. Ohia’s class how to get on the voicethread.  Dane Ku or Nainoa, please see Peter and Pono.  Also, please teach Ms. Nelson.  If you would like to see what we are doing down in Australia, go to voicethread.com. Once you are at the site, press the browse button and type in wailele.  Our pictures are under Australian Adventure.

I have been talking to Ms. Dolfinger on the phone, and I am sorry to say that I am disappointed with the behavior of the class.  I can’t understand why you cannot behave for two weeks for our guest teacher.  I wish all of you would have more pride in your class, and yourselves as students of Kamehameha Schools.  It is just disappointing.  If this continues, there will definitely be changes for the last half of the year.  You have only one more week to prove yourselves.

 I was going to write about what I have been doing the last few days, but I am not in the mood.  If you want to know, just look on the voicethread.

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Friday, Dec. 9th, 7:oo AM (Thursday, Dec. 10th, 10:00 AM your time)

I apologize for not writing yesterday. Ms. Burgess and I had a full day yesterday and when I got back into my hotel room yesterday, I just collapsed on the bag. I suppose my jetlag is catching up to me.

One thing I noticed watching TV here are the Australians are very close to the Americans. They watch American shows like Grey’s Anatomy and Lost, and are interested in talk shows like Oprah and Ellen. (This is in contrast with the New Zealanders who are seem to enjoy news and programs from Great Britain). The newscasters are all interested in the lives of people like Britney Spears who they predict will have another mental breakdown soon, Angelina Jolie who the Australians will have another baby next year, and Paris Hilton who was just dumped by her boyfriend by text messaging. Watching television, I just realized America is not the only country in the world that is obsessed with silly things and people.

We visited a war memorial of Australians and others who fought and died in wars from the First World War. Because Australia was part of the English Empire, anytime the British went to war, the Australians went to war. I spoke to an old Australian gentleman and he mentioned how he didn’t like how the British would always send the Australian troops to dangerous places to attack first.

Going around the city yesterday with Keoni’s dad, I noticed there is a huge foreign community here. There are 300,000 Greeks in Melbourne. For some reason, Ms. Burgess and I got to talk with a lot of Greek people as we were cruising the city. We heard fascinating stories about ancient Greece from Alexander the Great, to the Holy Roman Empire, to even the genocide of the Greeks by the Turks this century. (If you are interested, just google the topics). I think the Greeks convinced Ms. Burgess and I that everyone should go to Greece someday because of its history.

I also found out the the life expectancy for the Australian aborigines is about 35 years, especially the ones that live out in the bush. They often do this thing called a walkabout in which they walk into the desert for 2-3 months with hardly a thing. They can survive just from nature hunting animals like lizards and gathering plants for food and water. Before the Europeans came, there life expectancy was even shorter. Many lived to be just 18 years old.

I noticed many of you are starting book reports on the voicethread. I noticed two things. First of all, many of you are not changing the icon to yours when you start you voicethread. Secondly, the pictures are fuzzy. Please find book covers that are big to begin with (pictures with high ks). Dane Ku knows how to do this.

I am also putting my pictures of my trip on voicethread as it is easier to upload than on the blog.

We will be going out soon with Keoni’s grandfather. It makes a huge difference when you know someone in the place you go to. We really appreciate what Keoni’s grandfather is doing for us. We are learning things about Australia that we otherwise would not have known.

Anyways, take care and be good to each other.

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Wednesday, December 9th, 7:00 PM (Tuesday. December 8th, 10:00 your time)

Aloha from Down Under!!! I am writing this at 7:00 in the evening over here on Wednesday which means it is 10:00 on Tuesday evening in Hawaii. Basically we are 21 hours ahead in terms of time. We had a very long flight. Our first leg of our journey was from Honolulu International Airport to Aukland, New Zealand which was about 12 hours. One lucky thing about me is that I can sleep anywhere and I had a good 8 hours of sleep on the plane. (I remember when I was living in Tokyo and I had a two hour commute to work each day. I would sleep standing up. It was weird because I would always wake up just before the station I was to get off. But, I digress…). Anyways, the second leg of my trip was from Aukland, New Zealand to Melbourne, Australia which was only 3 hours long. (You can check out my path on Google Earth).

Looking out the airplane over Australia, I noticed that it was mostly desert. Australia is a very big continent but cannot hold a large population because the soil is not very productive for farming. The reason for this is Australia was never near volcanoes, thus never had the advantage of volcanic ash which contains nutrients for the soil to grow. This is in stark comparison to Aotearoa (New Zealand) which is quite verdant due to the advantage of active volcanoes. Hawaii’s soil is also rich as well from her volcanoes.

When we arrived, I noticed the spring-like weather. Australia has 4 distinct seasons which are opposite from the Northern Hemisphere. The high here is about 75 degrees during the day and 50 degrees at night. There is a large fluctuation in temperature, unlike Hawaii. Hawaii is surrounded by water which makes the temperature stable due to condensation. (I’ll explain this to you later).

I am pleased to hear from your comments that all of you are enjoying Ms. Dolfinger. All of you are quite lucky to have her. Ms. Dolfinger is an expert in math and it is her passion. She is also a kind and generous person who all of you can benefit greatly by having as a teacher for two weeks. In life, always take advantage of opportunities such as this experience if you want to be successful. Learn as much possible from people like Ms. Dolfinger!

Ms. Burgess and I are now at hotel lobby waiting for Keoni Oglivey’s grandfather to pick us up for dinner. Keoni is in Ms. Burgess’ class. I am sure we will learn much about Australia from him. Keoni is lucky because he gets to visit him every summer.

I will write back soon about my adventures. Take care and please treat each other with respect.

P.S.-Please tell Ms. Burgess’s class to look on her blog and comment back to her.

The War in Darfur (called by some, including the American Government, the Darfur Genocide) is a military conflict in the Darfur region of western Sudan. The current lines of conflict are seen to be ethnic and tribal, rather than religious.  The conflict began in February of 2003.

The deadly carnage in Darfur, Sudan, for example, which is almost always discussed in political and military terms, has roots in an ecological crisis directly arising from climate shocks.
Jeffrey Sachs, economist

Darfur provides a case study of how existing marginal situations can be exacerbated beyond the tipping point by climate-related factors. It also shows how lack of essential resources threatens not only individuals and their communities but also the region and the international community at large.
Think-Tank, CNA Corporation

Amid the diverse social and political causes, the Darfur conflict began as an ecological crisis, arising at least in part from climate change.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

What can we learn from the crisis in Darfur, Sudan occuring now?

What can we personally do about this situation?

Topic: Clouds
In The Complete Sailor: Learning the Art of Sailing, David Seidman writes, “Clouds are the harbingers of weather. Their shape, height, color, and sequence foretell coming events.”

Question
How can the shape, height, and color of clouds help an ocean navigator to predict oncoming weather?

Hi Explorers All,

Just a reminder that the end of the star tracking activity is this Saturday, November 16. Any evening between now and then, and between the hour of 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm, you are invited to track the star Enif and compare your results with others participants in this challenge. This activity can prepare you for navigating your canoe to Rapa Nui.

To this point, we have not received nearly enough responses to do a real comparison (especially in the Northern U.S.) and wouldn’t it be fun to get results from around the globe as well? The weather doesn’t always cooperate,
so don’t wait to the last minute!

All the directions you need are at:
http://quest.nasa.gov/challenges/lcross2/Star_Tracking_Enif.pdf
Parents and teachers are aloud to help. Please submit your information to me by Tuesday, November 18.

Happy Star Gazing,
Linda

On Tuesday, Mr. Chung showed a 2 minute video on the Chinese space program. In the video, a Chinese government official proudly mentioned that China sent a man into space, fully conscious and without shackles. The news clip goes on to discuss how China was using political prisoners for their space program. One reporter said, “China’s first manned mission occurred when political prisoner Yang Li-Wei was knocked unconscious in his cell and awoke to find himself in orbit.”

After a heated class discussion on the pros and cons of this space policy and whether the United States should themselves adopt this strategy, Mr. Chung dropped a bombshell. He mentioned that the news report was a parody and it was not true.

What were you thinking when Mr. Chung was showing the video and giving the lesson? Did you think it was a good thing that the Chinese government was doing with their prisoners?

How did you feel when you found out the news story was fake?

Why do you think Mr. Chung gave this fake lesson? What did you learn from this?

Welcome to the NASA Quest Navigation Challenge! the purpose of this Challenge is to connect students in the USA to NASA’s Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) mission while teaching them about different methods of Earth-based and space-based navigation. Please click on links on right under NASA to learn about this project.

Why is it important to learn about your ancestor’s voyages around the Pacific Ocean?

Why is NASA so interested in Polynesian wayfinding?

Why do humans explore?

Teach the class two things you learned from your research about NASA and Polynesian wayfinding.

Italy has been the home of many European cultures, such as the Etruscans and the Romans, and later was the birthplace of the universities and of the movement of the Renaissance, that began in Tuscany and spread all over Europe. Italy’s capital Rome was for centuries the center of Western civilization; it also spawned the Baroque movement and seats the Catholic Church. Italy possessed a colonial empire from the mid-nineteenth century to the mid-twentieth century.

Today, Italy is a democratic republic and a developed country with the 8th-highest Quality of Life index rating in the world. It is a founding member of what is now the European Union (having signed the Treaty of Rome in 1957), and a founding member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Our guest last week, Ms. Pecoraro is introducing us to her cousin Anna who is a school teacher in southern Italy. We feel it would be a great idea if our classes could exchange their thoughts and feelings. Even though we are from different worlds, I am sure we will find much in common.

Arctic ice is melting sea levels are rising and glaciers are shrinking at alarming rates. And the Earth is getting unmistakably warmer. But is this vast potentially catastrophic climate change the result of human behavior? Or is it simply the Earth’s natural cycle of warming and cooling periods that have occurred since the planet formed?

What are your thoughts on global warming?

In a recent survey, 52% said the U.S. should spend more.

“NASA has paid for itself many times over by leading to the development of things likd GPS and weather satellites. It’s such a good investment that its budget should be increased.”—-Craig Chrisco, Petaluma, Calif.

“U.S. leadership in space is critical. China, Russia and others will launch weapons into space that are aimed at the earth. Funding NASA is needed to protect our country.”–S.H., League City, Tex.

41% said the U.S. should spend less.

“NASA funds could be put to better use for things on earth, like health care and education. We have no need to go to the moon again or other planets.”–J.D., Blue Springs, Missouri

“NASA should concentrate on robot missions, which have been successful in the past. Space station programs should be moved to the commercial sector; this would cut costs and promote competition.”–R.N., Baltimore, Md.

7% said the current U.S. spending is fine.

What do you think?

Welcome! Please press “Comment” to write! We would love to hear from you!

People often ask me why I study philosophy.  What can you do with philosophy besides teach?” My answer to that question is “You can think.”  Part of philosophy is critical thinking which is the ability to question your (or anyone else’s) assumptions, discover and hopefully articulate good reasons for your position, no matter what your position is.  Everyone has a position on every issue, even if it is, “I don’t know.”  One can then ask this person, “Why do you not know?  Should you have a view on this issue?”  Even if your view is that some issue does not matter, you must defend that view against the person who does think that that issue matters.  And defending your view requires the ability to use your reason (which of course is thinking) in order to discover what good or bad reasons are and the best support for your position.
Philosophy can be used to help convince people that you are right, and (sometimes, when it’s done correctly, and depending on your opponent’s view) that they are wrong.
As just one of its many specializations, philosophy contains the study of ethics, which is the study of happiness and how best to attain it (or indeed if and how that is possible). The main questions of ethics are “What is happiness?” and “How should I live?” There are, as you might guess, many and varied answers to these questions. I would guess that every single person is, and should be, interested in whether we can be happy, what happiness is, and how we can act so as to obtain happiness (assuming it exists).

What did you learn today that would be considered philosophy?

Pearl Harbor is a harbor on the island of Oahu, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. The attack on Pearl Harbor by the Empire of Japan on December 7th, 1941 brought the United States into World War II.

It was the native Hawaiians who originally called the Pearl Harbor area, “Wai Momi,” meaning “Water of Pearl”. It was also called “Puʻuloa”. Pearl Harbor was the home of the shark goddess Ka’ahupahau and her brother (or son) Kahiʻuka. The gods were said to live in a cave at the entrance to Pearl Harbor and guard the waters against man-eating sharks.

Kaʻahupahau is said to have been born of human parentage but to have changed into a shark. These gods were friendly to man and it is said that the people of Ewa whom they protected would keep their backs scraped clean of barnacles. The ancients depended on Kaʻahupahau to protect the harbor’s abundant fish ponds from intruders. The harbor was teeming with pearl-producing oysters until the late 1800’s.

Are students today getting the entire story, in all its bloody treachery and cruelty, so that they can evaluate history and make up their own minds? If the Columbus myth taught in schools has been replaced by all the facts, then future generations will have a better chance of understanding our history and each other.

Should we celebrate Columbus Day?

Today, Ms. Pecoraro spoke with us and gave her perspective on Columbus?  She strongly believes we should celebrate Columbus Day.  Why do you think Ms. Pecoraro has this perspective?  Can you understand her point of view?  Did she change your mind about Columbus?

The Electoral College consists of 538 popularly elected representatives who formally select the President and Vice-President of the United States. The Electoral College is an example of an indirection election.

Rather than directly voting for the President and Vice President, United States citizens cast votes for electors.

Why do you think some of our Founding Fathers wanted Congress to select the President? (Remember that in colonial times, not everyone could read, and there was no radio, TV or Internet to update people on national events.)

Do you think the U.S. President should be chosen by popular vote?  Why or why not?

Most children your age have some idea of what they want to be when they grow up. In colonial times, a 10-year-old had to make decisions about what he would do for the rest of his life. If you were a 10-year-old living during those times, what do you think you would want to be when you grew up?

What are manners? What are some manners children are supposed to have today? What were colonial children’s manners supposed to be like? Do they surprise you, why? How do they compare to your manners today? Why do you think they differed?

How do we travel in the 21st century? When and why would we use these types of transportation? How do you think people in the 18th century traveled? How would their different from ours? How would it be similar? How long did traveling take in the 18th century? What would it be like to travel a long distance back then.

Today, we went to the colonial exhibit. We saw and experienced many artifacts that made life easier for the early White Americans. Would you consider some of these items technology? What is technology? What do you think are the 2 most influential inventions in human history and why?

In History Channel’s 10 Days That Unexpectedly Changed America, one of the events was on September 9, 1956 when Elvis Presley appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show. Tell me why this is considered a turning point in American history based on what you learned these past 2 weeks concerning post-WWII America?

What in Barack Obama’s background interests you and why?

Why is the nomination of Barack Obama an important moment in American history? Explain.

What question would you like to ask Barack Obama and why?

What in John McCain’s past interests you and why?

What question would you like to ask John McCain and why?

Name some ways in which the candidates are different.

Name some ways in which the candidates are the same.

A profound shift in education is taking place, and the old rules no longer apply…21st century students want to be heard; they are authors, storytellers, documentarians, creators, problem solvers, critical thinkers, collaborators, and communicators…How do we meet the needs of a new generation of learners in a rapidly changing world? Please join in a conversation about education today.

“Those who have most at stake in the old culture, or are most rigid in their beliefs, try to summon people back to the old ideas.”

Marilyn Ferguson

“Some people see things as they are and ask ‘why’? I see things as they have never been and ask ‘why not’?”

George Bernard Shaw

“Don’t try to innovate for the future. Innovate for the present.”

Peter Drucker

21st Century Education

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21st Century Literacy

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Kids Today

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Teachers Today

“Stolen Waters” documents the battle over the water in Waiahole Ditch on the island of O’ahu, where taro farmers and long-time residents seek to reclaim the natural stream waters that were taken in the early 1900’s by sugar plantations.

Shot on location in the Windward O’ahu valleys and Waipi’o valley on Hawai’i island, Stolen Waters explores the significance of the deity Kane and his embodiment of the water/rain cycle; Hawaiian tradition and law regarding water use; native stream life; and the delicate balance between the health of the streams, the health of the ocean and the health of the people.

Through watching this video, Stolen Waters, students were able to witness the diadromous cycle and how interruption of this cycle by man created problems for the native stream population as well as the native people.

Why did man disrupt this natural cycle in the first place?

What were the impacts of man disrupting this natural cycle?

What can we do as keiki of this aina to  protect this from happening again?

Propaganda is a set of messages aimed at influencing the opinions or behavior of large numbers of people. Instead of just providing information, propaganda in its most basic sense presents information in order to influence its audience. The most effective propaganda is often completely truthful, but some propaganda presents facts selectively to give loaded messages in order to produce an emotional rather than rational response to the information presented. The desired result is a change of opinion, perspective, or behavior of the target audience.

If you watch CNN and watch the BBC, you’ll see quite a different perspective in news. The US tends to keep news localized unless it affects US interests, BBC reports on interests across the world.

In our current elections, notice how the candidates vilify each other. Sometimes politicians lie just to get votes.

How can you recognize propaganda?
How can you protect yourself against propaganda?
Is propaganda ever good? Cite examples.

According to the mainstream theory, the Polynesian people are by ancestry a subset of the sea-migrating Austronesian people and the tracing of Polynesian languages places their prehistoric origins in the Malay archipelago.

Between about 3000 and 1000 BC speakers of Austronesian languages spread through island South-East Asia – almost certainly starting out from Taiwan, as tribes whose natives had thought to have previously arrived about from mainland South China about 8000 years ago– into the edges of western Micronesia and on into Melanesia. In the archaeological record there are well-defined traces of this expansion which allow the path it took to be followed and dated with a degree of certainty. In the mid 2nd millennium BC, the Lapita culture appeared suddenly in north-west Melanesia, in the Bismarck Archipelago. Within a mere three or four centuries between about 1300 and 900 BC, the Lapita culture spread 6000 km further to the east from the Bismarck Archipelago, until it reached as far as Fiji, Tonga and Samoa. In this region, the distinctive Polynesian culture developed.

Between 300 and 500 AD, the Polynesians discovered and settled Rapa Nui (Easter Island). This is supported by archaeological evidence as well as the introduction of flora and fauna consistent with the Polynesian culture and characteristic of the tropics to this subtropical island. Around AD 500, Hawai’i was settled by the Polynesians and around AD 1000 Aotearoa (New Zealand) was settled as well. The migration of the Polynesians is impressive considering that the islands settled by them are spread out over great distances—the Pacific Ocean covers nearly a half of the Earth’s surface area. Most contemporary cultures, by comparison, never voyaged beyond sight of land.

Even though we are all Polynesians throughout the Pacific Ocean, why don’t we identify as Polynesians?

Would you want to be identified as a Polynesian, an American, or both?

How can Polynesians unite in the future?  What can you do about it?

In the pre-World War II years, the Black athlete was restricted from competition in all the professional sports. Only in the Olympics, because of its international nature, were Black athletes allowed to compete unrestricted.

After World War II, the attitude of Black people changed dramatically. For most people, Jackie Robinson has the honor of integrating professional sports by signing with baseball’s Brooklyn Dodgers.

Today, are Blacks now represented in all sports at all levels?

Why do you think Blacks were not allowed to play sports with the Whites?

Do you believe that Blacks now have an equal opportunity to play sports?

Please cite examples from the video you saw last week.

Statistics is the science of collecting, organizing, and interpreting numerical facts, which we call data. Statistical analysis often reveal patterns that may not otherwise be evident. Data bombards us in everyday life. Most of us associate statistics with the bits of data that appear in news reports: baseball batting averages, imported car sales, the latest poll of the president’s popularity, and the average high temperature for today. Advertisements often claim that data show the superiority of the advertiser’s product.

*Why do you think statistics are important in sports?

*How can you use statistics in the future?

Read the following perspectives on colonization:

Thesis I about colonization
Europeans colonized the Americas, and Asia (India) in order to bring civilization, religion, and government to these regions. The European nations should be honored and praised for spreading their culture and bringing civility to the uncivilized.

Thesis II about colonization
European colonization in the Americas, and Asia clearly represented imperialistic nations searching for greater land, wealth, and authority. The European nations should not be honored as discoverers or as people spreading civilization; Instead, they should be seen as conquerors, destroying advanced cultures and societies in the pursuit of greater power.

Questions to Ponder
Do people ever have the right to take another’s property? If so, when? If not, why not? Why did Europeans believe they had the right to take and use land that had been Native American land?

Within a few generations of the European’s arrival, the Native American population of the Americas was reduced by 90%. What caused this decrease? Was it essential? Is this an example of genocide? Was the purpose of European colonization to spread civilization or promote national interest?

Between 1500 and 1750, the nations of Western Europe took over almost all of North and South America. Between 1750-1900, they did the same in Asia and Africa. They claimed to have done so to spread Christianity and their idea of civilization. The greatest immediate changes that resulted from this conquest and colonization were that the natives in these areas became poorer while Europe became immensely rich and powerful. Do you think the Europeans were being honest when they claimed to be doing this for the good of Native Americans, the Asians, and the Africans?

Jared Diamond was born of Polish-Jewish heritage to a physician father and a teacher/musician/linguist mother. After attending the Roxbury Latin School, he earned an A.B. degree from Harvard College in 1958 and his Ph.D. in physiology and membrane biophysics from Cambridge University in 1961.

In Diamond’s best-known work, the Pulitzer Prize-winning Guns, Germs, and Steel (1998), Diamond’s quest is to explain why Eurasian civilizations, as a whole, have survived and conquered other peoples. He identifies the introduction and proliferation (spread) of agriculture and technology as important developments in creating powerful states. Diamond argues that the gaps in power and technology between human societies do not reflect cultural or racial differences, but rather originate in environmental and geographical differences such as the most productive crops and farm animals.

What did you learn from studying Guns, Germs, and Steel that you did not know before?

Do you agree with Jared Diamond’s arguments? Why or why not? Make connections with your previous knowledge of our world.

Mr. Chung’s Thoughts: After reading your comments the past few days on slavery, I felt the anger and indignation radiating from your comments. How could people treat each other this way? I am glad you feel this way towards slavery, but what bothers me is that we are clumping different groups of people together-Whites, Europeans, Americans, Black Americans, Black Africans and steoreotyping them. As we read more into history, we will learn there were Whites who were vehemently opposed to slavery and helped Blacks escape to the North; there were Whites who believed slavery was an abomination but still held slaves themselves (an example was America’s third president, Thomas Jefferson). There were Black Africans who actually helped the slavers capture people for slavery. There were European Whites who respected the ways of the Native Americans and actually went to live with them as equals. I mentioned at the beginning of the year, textbooks do not tell the whole truth but this applies to good examples as well. There are many people and events that are shining examples of American idealism. I wonder why these examples are omitted from our textbooks.

I am not making excuses for slavery, but this was the accepted paradigm of those times. Imagine growing up and experiencing racism everyday, and taught and shown that some races are superior and some races are inferior. You would just accept it as the truth. What is remarkable is some people questioned this paradigm, struggled with it, and overcame it. These are the stories we can learn from. We all have the ability to be good or bad. It is our ability to think and reflect that will help us make good choices, individually and as a society.

I hope by the end of the year, all of you will see the importance of history–that history is not just a group of facts to be memorized but it is about the choices people make and the consequences resulting from those actions. Our past is what makes us who we are now; and for us to create a brighter future for all of us, we in the present must make good choices.

Open House

It was a sincere pleasure meeting all of you at Open House. Your concern and love for your child touched my heart and reinforced my desire to do my best for the students.

While driving to school today, I was thinking of how much I love my job. I look forward to stepping into my classroom every morning, and during the day I never watch the clock to see if it is time to go home. In fact, I wish the day was longer. No matter how carefully I plan, I never know what to expect at the start of each day which makes my job very exciting.

I look forward to another fun week of learning. Personally, I get to relearn all the subjects that I daydreamed through when I was a student.

Why don’t we get the best out of people? Sir Ken Robinson argues that it’s because we’ve been educated to become good workers, rather than creative thinkers. Students with restless minds and bodies — far from being cultivated for their energy and curiosity — are ignored or even stigmatized, with terrible consequences. “We are educating people out of their creativity,” Robinson says. It’s a message with deep resonance.

Please watch this video with your parents.

What do you think? Parents are welcomed to comment.

At today’s all-school Convocation, President Chun’s message for the student body was Carpe Diem. Carpe Diem is a phrase from a Latin poem written by the famous Roman poet Horace. The phrase is commonly used to mean, make the most of current opportunities because life is short and time is fleeting.

How will you “seize the day” and make your life extraordinary?

Please answer the following with details and specificity:

What did you learn about yourself doing your personal timeline?

Did doing this project help you gain a better understanding of time and history? How?

How can you apply timelines in the future?

In a recent survey, fifth-graders in Minnesota spent slightly more than four hours a week on homework–significantly less than the six hours in Sendai, Japan and a vastly smaller amount of time than the thirteen hours in Taipei.

Research in the last decade has begun to focus on the relationship between homework and student achievement and has greatly strengthened the case for homework. Although there are mixed findings about whether homework actually increases students’ academic achievement, many teachers and parents agree that homework develops students’ initiative and responsibility and fulfills the expectations of students, parents, and the public. Studies generally have found homework assignments to be most helpful if they are carefully planned by the teachers and have direct meaning to students.

But, according to Sara Bennett and Nancy Kalish, there is almost no evidence that homework helps elementary school students achieve academic success and that it helps older students. Yet the nightly burden is taking a serious toll on America’s families. It robs children of the sleep, play, and exercise time they need for proper physical, emotional, and neurological development. And it is a hidden cause of the childhood obesity epidemic, creating a nation of “homework potatoes.”

What do you think? I would also like to know what the parents think as well. There are no right or wrong answers.

If you’ve traveled around this world of ours – in continental Europe, in South America, in many parts of Asia – you have noticed that many of the world’s citizens speak two languages, and some speak three or more. In fact, there are more multilingual people in the world than monolingual.

Monolingual Americans – and if you are American you are likely monolingual – invariably feel a twinge of shame about this. In Germany or Singapore, Moscow or Rio, folks switch from their language to ours because it’s understood us backward Americans can’t switch from ours to theirs.

Rationale for learning another language.

Development of a global attitude-During their elementary school years, children are open to ideas of global understanding. Study of a foreign language and culture can serve as an important vehicle by which to expand their intercultural views.

Enhancement of cognitive skills-Cognitive development takes place when a child is faced with an idea or experience that does not fit his or her realm of understanding. The cognitive conflict becomes the catalyst for new thinking. Children who learn a foreign language are more flexible and creative, and they reach high levels of cognitive development at an earlier age than their monolingual peers.

Enhancement of communication skills-The study of foreign languages has also been shown to have positive effects on memory and listening skills.

Personal Benefits-Individuals who study foreign languages and cultures help themselves toward international and intercultural communication. They expose themselves to a global perspective, and enhance their career potential in the ever growing arena of international trade and cross-cultural professional exchange.

Why do you think it is important and beneficial to learn another language?

What language do you want to learn and why?

Today was your first day of class as a 5th grader.

*How was your day today?

*What were your thoughts and impressions?

*What do you expect from this school year?